Mobile vehicles including aircraft, trains, ships, etc. often provide rest areas for crew or passengers when the vehicle is intended for operation over lengthy time periods. Commercial aircraft in particular are required to provide crew rest spaces for aircraft which operate over extended periods of time. Common crew rest areas include bunks or berths, seats, and lavatories for crew use. Aircraft crew rests are often separately provided for flight crew members and for flight attendants. Requirements for both crew rests vary. Some aircraft locate flight attendant rest areas at the aft end of the aircraft, rearward of the aft passenger seating area and above the ceiling of the aft passenger seating area. In these areas, crew rest berths are supported from aircraft frames or frame connecting structure. Some aircraft position crew rest areas adjacent to or in a lower level baggage stowage area. Crew rest berths in these areas are supported by the baggage support structure or platforms. Crew rest areas for flight crew personnel have been positioned forward of the flight attendant crew rest areas in the aircraft, and can also be supported from aircraft frames or overhead structure or positioned in lower levels of the aircraft. Each of these rest area locations are accessible using staircases and doorways or hatches, but the space is often co-occupied by additional items.
Crew rest berths are enclosures generally provided for an individual to rest or sleep in private, often having curtains or doors, electrical supply outlets, etc. It is often difficult to install crew rest berths on mobile platforms such as aircraft due to the weight of the berths, which can approach 300 pounds, which necessitates use of special lifting/handling equipment. Access for installation of crew rest berths is also limited by items such as piping, structure, environmental control system ducting, flight control cabling, fire detection systems, stow-bin support structure and center stow-bins, and electrical cabling positioned adjacent to or passing through the crew rest areas. Aircraft also commonly position passageways on the longitudinal centerline of the aircraft to maximize the usable space. Installation of all these items needs to be coordinated during construction of the aircraft.
Assembly sequencing of the above items are predetermined and therefore installation of crew rest berthing effects the overall construction schedule of the platform or aircraft. The additional structure commonly required to support each berth also adds weight, complexity, and cost. Installing multiple crew rest berths as a single unit is often impractical for many passenger platform designs because the installation sequence can require crew berth installation via fixed geometry doorways and partially assembled walkways. Access space for the installing mechanics and any equipment is also required. A crew rest berth design which offers faster and simpler installation is therefore desirable.